Groups for the preliminary round of the 2010 World Cup were chosen today in Durban, South Africa.
A total of 170 teams were placed, with Scotland being drawn in the European Zone Group 9 against the Netherlands, Norway, FYR Macedonia, and Iceland.
The disappointment of Scotland's failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 may still be relatively fresh, but the consolation for the team's performance is that they have found themselves in a five team group for the World Cup. The other 8 European Zone groups each comprise of six teams.
The winner of the group gets an automatic pass to the World Cup finals in Johannesburg. In the second stage of the qualifiers, the eight best runners-up from all groups will be drawn to play against each other in four play-off matches on a home-and-away basis.
The first stage of the World Cup qualifiers start in August 2008.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup finals kick off on the 11 June at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg.